The importance of any activity done for a good cause

RamanaMaharshi was a great Saint who lived in Southern India. Devotees from around the world would travel to His Ashram to receive His blessings.

One day, RamanaMaharshi was pinning some leaves together to make dinner plates for the Ashram. A young devotee, who was standing nearby and watching, asked, "Gurudēv (a respectful way of addressing a Guru or spiritual teacher), is it not a waste of Your precious time to do such small tasks? Anyone else could have done this." The Saint smiled and said, "My son, no work is a waste of time, if it serves a good purpose and if done in the right way. Making these plates is as important as any other task, because these plates will be used to serve food in the Ashram. Besides you can always learn something useful from everything you do."

Moral: Ramana Maharshi teaches us that no task is small as long as we approach it with the correct attitude and do it for a good purpose. The main purpose of our lives is to serve God. Hence, we should take every opportunity to serve God, by gratefully participating in any available satsēvā, (service unto God). Satseva can be one of cleaning, cooking, or conducting a lecture or a satsang (spiritual meeting) or some other spiritual activity.